Russian military in Syria receives information on impending chemical attack

A provocation involving chemical weapons is being prepared in the Syrian province of Idlib, the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria informed, TASS reports on February 13.

According to the representative of the Center, on February 12, in the evening, a resident of the Syrian town of Saraqeb informed that Jabhat al-Nusra (organization banned in Russia) militants brought more than twenty chlorine cylinders, as well as personal protective equipment to the town.

In addition, according to the eyewitness, a local group of the White Helmets conducted a training exercise on “rendering first aid” to the locals who suffered from poisoning.

The Syrian man drew attention to the fact that all activities were filmed by professional correspondents, who spoke English, and who used microphones with CNN logo.

The Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria expressed particular concern over the information received: “All this shows that the Jabhat al-Nusra (organization banned in Russia) terrorists together with the White Helmets are preparing another provocation involving toxic chemical materials in Idlib province with the aim to accuse the Syrian authorities of using chemical weapons against locals“.

White Helmets is an organization presenting itself as a volunteer organization helping civilians who suffered in the war in Syria. However, the White Helmets were repeatedly observed in creating fake news and disseminating false information.

At the beginning of April 2017, an incident involving the use of toxic chemical materials, in which more than 100 people were killed, had already occurred in the province of Idlib. Moscow and Damascus called the incident a provocation, in which the same White Helmets took part. Numerous evidences in favor of this version appeared later, for example, a confession by a detained terrorist.

Editorial comments

It is likely that a new provocation is being prepared. In a situation where reality can easily be distorted by a picture introduced by controlled media, such “events” become fully justified. It does not matter what actually happened, and how it happened in reality. The key of this strategy is to commit a provocation and to conduct an information campaign to disseminate a fabricated version of what happened (there are many instances of this).